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Guidebook Fort Walton Beach, Florida
QUICK FACTS
The experience is Simply Irresistible
Famous sugar white sands stretch like miles of
white satin. Emerald-jeweled waters. Endless strings of fishing
fleets. Links and links of golf. Seaside celebrations. Dancing
dolphins. Undeniably fresh seafood.
The easy-paced Destin • Fort Walton Beach •
Okaloosa Island present simple pleasures -- unpretentious,
uncomplicated and breathtakingly beautiful.
Setting
Neighboring fishing village and Southern Sea Towns --
Destin • Fort Walton Beach • Okaloosa Island -- comprise the Emerald
Coast.
Anchoring Florida’s upper north coast, the Gulf of
Mexico borders the south, Pensacola and Panama City are west and east
respectively and Alabama edges the northern cap.
Description
The collaboration of shocking white sands and
brilliant green waters ribbon for 24 miles (38km) along the Gulf. More
than 60 percent of the beaches will be preserved forever in their
sweeping, virgin purity.
Surrounded by the Gulf, Choctawhatchee Bay, Santa Rosa
Sound, lakes and bayous, and riveted with miles of docks and harbors, a
refreshing water bound charisma emerges.
Sparsely scattered with sea oats, sand pines and
blossoming magnolias, six-mile (10km) stretches of gentle sand dunes
alternate with glimpses of “civilization” and pockets of beach parks
with pavilions and gazebos along a picturesque coastline.
An aquarium of treasures is found from loggerheads and
leatherbacks to lion’s paws and horse conchs. Beach-basking feathered
friends are as simple as sandpipers and as expressive as snowy egrets.
Threaded with serpentine marshes and laced with
sun-kissed creeks, a number of wildlife preserves quietly claim the
beauty of Mother Nature.
Time Zone, surprisingly -- Central Natural
time warp for its leisurely pace.
Distinctions
Acclaims from the “World’s
Luckiest Fishing Village” and some of the world’s finest
underwater shelling to undeniably fresh seafood and the starring
role in famous Hollywood films.
Named “Number One Beach in the South” and one
of the top five “Favorite Family Vacation Destinations” by the
readers of Southern Living for nine consecutive years.
Climate
Average of 343 Sunny Days Per Year
Gulf attributes combine with water clusters caressed
by gentle breezes to cool even the warmest Mercury readings -- creating
year-round tempting temperatures.
SPRING High 77 ° 25C Low 60 ° 15C
SUMMER High 89 ° 32C Low 74 ° 23C
FALL High 80 ° 27C Low 60 ° 15C
WINTER High 61 ° 16C Low 42 ° 6C
Special Events(More Than 300 Annually)
Festivals
4-Player Volleyball Tournament April
Billy Bowlegs Festival June
Dog Days Open Billfish Tournament August
A.J.’s Annual King Mackerel Tournament September
Destin Fishing Rodeo October
Destin Seafood Festival October
Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival October
International Invitational Golf Tournament
Mid-October
Northwest Florida Fair October
Christmas Boat Parade December
Activities
Enticements include Searching for eight-pound (4kg)
queen helmet shells in underwater sunken forests, challenging 1,080
holes of famous golf, fishing from Florida’s largest charter boat fleet
for the elusive big blue, sailing along the emerald-flecked surf, tubing
down meandering moss-draped rivers and sun bronzing on pure white
powdered shores.
Dining (more than 450 restaurants)
Restaurants serve some of the freshest seafood in
Florida. A justified claim as there are always at least 20 tasty types
of fish available for savoring during any one season.
Bordering the gulf, harbor, bay or bayou, culinary
characters range from cedar seafood shacks, lighthouse-bedecked oyster
bars and tiki-topped harbor decks to gracious antebellum estates and
elegant Gulf-air cafes.
Emerald Coast specialties spotlight tastes of the
South, from authentic Louisiana Cajun crawfish gumbo, beer-battered
fried mullet, hush puppies and pecan pie to continental and
European cuisine.
Accommodations (more than 18,000 Beach Rooms)
Reasonably priced options from seaside cottages and a
beachside bed and breakfast to spacious condominiums and popular chain
hotels.
Seasonal Average Rates:
* Hotel guest room ** Two bedroom condominium
Spring
$ 92/night* $ 1029/week**
£ 64/night £ 740/week
Summer
$ 111/night* $ 1428/week**
£ 76/night £ 1049/week
Fall
$ 75/night* $ 861/week**
£ 52/night £ 609/week
Winter
$ 66/night* $ 749/week**
£ 46/night £ 517/week
Three Campgrounds
Conference - More than 70,000 total square feet of
space/meeting facilities
Emerald Coast Conference Center --
Emerald Grand Ballroom - 21,500 sq. ft./Divisible
into Four Sections
Palm Ballroom - 1,830 sq. ft./Divisible into Two
Sections
Sunset Ballroom - 1,250 sq. ft./Divisible into
Two Sections
Island Ballroom - 1,000 sq. ft/Divisible into Two
Sections
Sand Castle Ballroom - 500 sq. ft.
Dolphin Ballroom - 465 sq. ft.
Pre-Function Space - 8,580 sq. ft.
Special Touches:
Wi-Fi Technology
ISDN Video Conferencing
LCD Projection
Surround Sound Speaker System
STSN High-Speed Internet Access
In-house Catering
Convention Services and Meeting Planners
Access by car:
U.S. 98 travels along the Emerald Coast, edging the
Gulf through Destin • Fort Walton Beach • Okaloosa Island
From 331 south, take Highway 85 south at the
Alabama/Florida line, straight into Destin • Fort Walton Beach •
Okaloosa Island
From I-10, exit on to Highway 85 south at the
Crestview/Fort Walton Beach exit and head straight into Destin • Fort
Walton Beach • Okaloosa Island
256 miles (412km) from New Orleans
268 miles (431km) from Birmingham
316 miles (509km) from Atlanta
427 miles (686km) to Disney World
Access by air(two nearby airports/eight
major carriers)
Okaloosa Regional Airport
Serviced by Atlantic Southeast Airlines/ Delta
Airlines, ComAir, Continental Express, Northwest Airlines, Skywest and
USAir Express
Pensacola Regional Airport
Serviced by Continental, Delta Air Lines/Atlantic
Southeast Airlines, Northwest Airlink, US Airways and US Airways
Express, and AirTran
One hour and 15 minutes from Atlanta
One hour and 30 minutes from Nashville
Two hours and 30 minutes from Dallas/Ft. Worth
Dancing Dolphins to Historic Museums
Attractions
At Destin • Fort Walton Beach • Okaloosa Island, where
the only castles are made of white sand and the most razzle is the
dazzling jewel tone of the Gulf, simplicity is celebrated with nothing
fancy, just fun “flip-flop” museums, aerial and aqua acrobatics, and the
purest of pleasures -- dancing dolphins, sand dollars and postcard
perfect sunrises and sunsets.
Natural Inspirations
The Beaches and Waters
Whether likened to fine sugar or powdery snow,
pearls, chalk or porcelain, the shores stretch like miles of
ribboning white satin and are simply sensational -- perhaps even
shockingly, sun-bleached white.
Acclaimed as the “Number One Beach in the
South” by the readers of Southern Living for the eighth year in
a row, the water is illuminated brilliant green by the
near-blinding whiteness, creating a collaboration which is
undeniably the star “attraction.”
Continuing to surpass expectations -- the
coupling showcases both sunrises and sunsets.
The Shallows
Dancing dolphins display mesmerizing grace and
unabashed playfulness as they tumble and twirl within the breeding
ground of the shallows along the Santa Rosa Sound and Destin Harbor.
Daily duneside seating is compliments of Mother Nature.
Amusements
Gulfarium (850) 244-5169
One of America’s original marine
parks (1955), it hosts Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, California
sea lions, tropical black-foot penguins, loggerhead sea turtles,
harbor and gray seals, American alligators, nurse and lemon
sharks, tropical fish aquariums and more in 14 fascinating
Gulf-edged exhibits. Dolphin stars Princess, Panama, Brandy,
Delilah and newborn dolphin Lili delight with feats from comedic
soccer games to 18-foot (540cm) leaps toward the clouds.
U.S. Air Force Armament Museum (850) 882-4062
Riddled with bombs, this museum, one of only three
U.S. museums dedicated to the display of Air Force armament, is
“protected” by 25 reconnaissance, fighter and bomber planes such as the
B-17 Flying Fortress and SR-71 Blackbird Spy Plane. Four wars -- WWII,
Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf -- are spanned through a fighter
cockpit simulator, thousands of weapons, war films, photography exhibits
and more.
Indian Temple Mound and Museum (850) 833-9595
The 6,000-piece exhibit, showcasing America’s largest
collection of Southeastern Indian ceramic artifacts, journeys through
10,000 years of four prehistoric tribes. The largest Indian mound
discovered along saltwater (1400 A.D.) stands guard beside the museum.
Emerald Coast Science Center (850) 664-1261
A child’s fantasy museum of science, it stimulates the
imagination with interactive fun and great kids’ stuff like a reflecting
Castle of Mirrors, “adult-sized” bubble makers, a literally hair-raising
Vandergraph generator, an electrifying Illuma Storm and more.
Nearby Attractions
The Zoo (Gulf Breeze)
Observe more than 700 animals -- hosting towering
giraffes to white Bengal tigers -- with a 50-acre African veldt, petting
zoo, pachyderm rides, reptile demonstrations and face-to-face giraffe
feedings.
Florida Caverns (Marianna)
Dripping with stalagmites and stalactites, Florida’s
only limestone caverns wind through underground depths for fascinating
public tours.
Eden State Gardens (Point Washington)
An 1895 Greek revival estate, surrounded by a Southern
spread of immense moss-draped oaks and resplendent gardens of camellias
and azaleas, overlooks the picturesque Choctawhatchee Bay with the
charming character of days gone by.
Distinctions:
“Number One Beach in
the South” for nine years in a row. Southern Living
“Voted one of the Top Five Favorite Family
Vacation Destinations in the South” for nine years in a row. Southern Living
“Best Beach in the United States” USAToday.com
“Best Family Beach in the U.S.” Travelocity
“One of the ‘Top Twenty Beaches in the World
for Seashore Romance’” You & Your Wedding (U.K.)
“Top Beach in the Southeast” Family Fun Magazine
“Best Family Vacation Destination in America” Nashville Parent Magazine
“Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island
really are just simply irresistible.” Atlanta Journal Constitution
“Even ‘The Truman Show’ found paradise in
Northwest Florida.” Dallas Morning News
“White sands and crystal waters give the
Emerald Coast its sparkle.” Successful Meetings
“This is a place where you shrug off
sophistication and wear your flip-flops.” Leisure World
“Most striking about this part of Florida is
the natural beauty of the area.” Corporate & Incentive Travel
“The Emerald Coast has some of the whitest
beaches and clearest green waters, ideal for the utmost in
relaxation.” Recommend
Information and photos submitted
by:
Emerald Coast Convention and
Visitors Bureau, Inc. 1540 Miracle Strip Parkway SE
Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32548 850-668-2222 | 800-322-3319 | Website
Additional visitor information
about these and other area attractions is available by calling the
Emerald Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.
at (800) 322-3319 or (850) 651-7131 and at
www.destin-fwb.com.
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